Device for tapping beer



(Ne 1 Model)" J. H. BRENNAN.

DEVICE POR- TAPPING BEER. No. 296,311. Patented Apr. 8, 1884.

UNITED Starts ATENT @rsrcn,

JERMIAH H. BRENNAN, OF BOSTON, MASSAGHUSET S.

DEVECZE. FOR TAPPING BEER.

EPECIPICAI'ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,311, dated April8, 188%.

(No model To LLZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnnnran H. BRENNAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, int-he county of Sufiolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain Improve ments in Devices for Tapping Beer andother Barrels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, makingpart of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of abeer-faucet and bushing constructed in accordance with .IDY invention.Fi 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the center of the sameap plied to the head of a barrel. Fig. 3 is aview of the removablescrew-plug which contains the valve-seat. Fig. 4 is a view of the innerend of the stem or neck of the beerfaucet.

My invention relates to certain improvements in devices for tapping beerand other barrels, and has for its object to enable the valve and otherparts contained within the bushing to be easily removed without takingthe bushing out of the barrel-head, thus greatly facilitating theoperations of cleansing and repairing the parts, and also avoiding theundue enlargement of the tap-hole, and consequent spoiling of the headof the barrel, which re sults from frequently removing and replacing thebushing; and'my invention consists in certain details ofconstruction-and combinations of parts, whereby the desired results areattained in a simple and eifcctualmanner.

in the said drawings, A represents the head of abeer-barrel, within thetap-hole of which is screwed the tapering bushing B,pr0vided with anexternal screw-thread,tl1is bushing being intended to remain permanentlywithin the head A. The rear portion, a, of the bushing, which projectsbeyond the inner surface of the head, is turned down smooth on theoutside, and is provided with a series of perforations, Zr, forming astrainer through which the beer passes to the chamber 0.

D is a removable cylindrical plug, which is provided with an externalthread, 6!, which engages with a thread, 6, on the inside of the portionf of the bushing, the plug D having square notches or recesses g in itsfront end for the reception of the end of a suitable implement, by meansof which the plug can be turned in or out of the bushing, the latterbeing provided with a shoulder, 10, against which the plug is seated, asseen in Fig. 2. On the inner end of the plug D is formed an annularscat, h, for the valve i, the stem of which projects through a centralaperture, Z, in the plug D into a recess, m, in the. front thereof, theinner portion of the stem 7; being of increased diameter, to afford alarger bearing-surfacc and reduce the wear on the parts.

Within the chamber 0 is placed a strong spiral spring, G, which isguided and maintained in its proper central position with respect to thevalve by means of a guide stud or pin, a, projecting from the rear ofthe valve, and asiniilarguidc'stud, p, arranged opposite thereto andprojecting from the rear end of the chamber ctoward the valve. centralportion, 12, of the plug Dis provided with a series of small apertures,q, arranged in a circle around the aperture Z, these perforations qforming a second strainer, through which the beer flows when the valve iis forced back from its seat 71 against the resistance of the spring Gby a protuberance, r, at the center of the inner end of the stem sot thefaucet H as the latter is screwed into the bushing. The stem sisprovided at its rear end, 13, with an external thread, it, which engageswith the internal thread, 0, of the bushing, and at the opposite end ofthe stem 8, close to the shoulder n, is another externally-threadedportion, a, of slightly larger diameter than the portion 13, whichengages with a correspondingthread, b, on the inside of the mouth of thebushing B, at the outer edge of which is an annular groove, 15, for thereception of the shoulder a of the faucet, by which construction a tightjoint is insured and the front end of the stem of the faucet is firmlysupported at both ends, as requircchwhile by providing the stem 5 with ashort thread, I, at its rear end and another short thread, a, ofslightly larger diameter at its opposite end with a smooth non-threadedportion between thcn1,tl1e necessity of cutting a thread along itsentire length is avoided and the time required to screw it into thebushing greatly reduced.

The inner end of the faucet H is closed and is provided with a series ofsmall perforations, 0, arranged in a circle around the protuber- The webor ance r, a third strainerbeing thus provided in the faucet itself, inaddition to the two strainers of the bushing, which insures the liquidbeing freed from all particles of foreign matter.

It will be apparent that whenever it is required to cleanse the interiorof the bushing and parts contained therein, or gain access to the samefor repairs, it issimply necessary to turn the plug D with a suitablewrench or other implement until it is clear of the thread 6 of thebushing, when it can be readily taken out, together with the valve viandspring G, no removal of the bushing B from the barrelhcad beingrequired, and the wearing out of the tap-hole,and the consequentspoiling of the head of the barrel, heretofore caused by the frequentremoval and replacing the bushing as heretofore,being thus entirelyavoided, and a saving in time and labor also effected. As the faucet isunscrewed from the bushing, the spring G will tightly close the valve 6,thus preventing any escape of the beer or gas, in case it should bedesired to remove the faucet before the barrel is empty, and alsokeeping the barrel air-tight.

I am aware that a bushing has been provided with a valve adapted to beopened against the resistance of a spiral spring by a faucet, as thelatter is screwed into the bushing; hence I make no broad claim to suchconstruction, confining myself to the details of construction andcombination and arrangement of parts herein specified.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a barrel-tapping device, the externallythreaded bushing B, havingat its inner end the perforated chamber 0, and provided with an internalthread, 6, and shoulder 10, in combination with the removable screw-plugD, adapted to be inserted into and taken out from the front end of thebushing, and having the valve-seat h and a web, 12, provided with aseries of perforations, q, arranged around the central aperture, Z, infront of the valve-seat, the valve d, with its stud n, the spiral springG, and the stud p, projecting inward from the rearend of the chamber 0,and the faucet H, adapted to brought into contact with and press backthe stem of the valve 2' as it is screwed into the bushing, the wholeconstructed and arranged to co-operate substantially in the manner andfor the purpose set forth.

2. In a barrel-tapping device, the combination, with the bushing 13,removable screwplug D, having a recess, an, in its'front side, and aseries of perforations, q, the valve i,with its stem k, projecting intosaid recess m, and the spring G, of the faucet H, provided with anexternal thread, 15, and having its inner end closed and provided with aprotuberance, r, surrounded by a strainer formed of a series ofperforations, c, all constructed and arranged to operate substantiallyin the manner and for the purpose described. H

3. In a barrel-tapping device, the combination, with the bushing B,provided with an internal thread,e, and asecond internal thread, b,atits mouth, of larger diameter, the removable screw-plug D, valve 2', andspring G, of the faucet H, having its stem 8 provided at its rear endwith a thread, it, and at the opposite end with a shoulder, a, and asecond thread, a, of larger diameter, with a smooth or nonthreadedportion between them, all constructed and arranged to operatesubstantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

\Vitness my hand this 30th day of October, A. D. 1883.

JERMIAH H. BRENNAN.

In presence of- P. E. TESOHEMAOIIER, W. J. CAMBRIDGE.

